I have been searching so long for a stick that is light, well balanced and gives good definition to my cymbal play. Sweet Ride is it! I love the length and the versatility... all types of music. But mostly gospel, jazz, pop and r&b.

I got these sticks after seeing Chris Dave recommend them in an artist video for Vater. When they arrived, they were definitely heavier than expected and I personally needed some time to adjust to them (I had been playing the pro mark Elvin Jones signature sticks for quite some time along with the Vic Firth SD10's) but afterword I found them to be pleasantly suitable for jazz. I must mention, however, that they are a bit different from any "jazz" style stick you may have tried in the past. I got the Hickory model, so that accounts for the weight, but I'm aware Vater makes a Maple model of these as well, which would certainly be a fair bit lighter and more suitable for acoustic styles. That being said, these feel like they have a "maximum volume" at which they produce from the cymbal. The sound is so focused that it's hard to get more coverage and therefore more volume out of them, however, for jazz and other styles of music which aren't screaming loud, I found these to be great. Overall, satisfied.

These are my new favorite stick. I used Vic Firth Peter Erskin signatures for about 10 years, and I still love them. When my local shop ran out, I decided to try the Vater Sweet Ride. The grip, heavier weight, and overall feel of these sticks make them some of the best I've played. The round ball means very tight cymbal articulation. These are designed for quieter applications, but I've played them hard and haven't had the tips get mushy or the shafts lose any slivers of wood. Awesome deal!

I just got my pair of these a day ago and used them on a gig today. I was worried having never seen a pair of these in person before I ordered them, but these surprised me. They are thin, but not too much to not get a good hold on them. They have enough weight to them to bounce and the small tips allow for ease of soft playing although you really could get some loud dynamics out of these too. Great pair of sticks, get some if you ever play acoustic gigs...

I've been using the Sweet Rides for a few years now and love them. I have a large kit so the length is great for getting around, but the real quality of this stick is the tip--very small, and the taper isn't too thin. Similar feel to a 7A. Most small-tips are on the ends of very thin tapers and they can snap right off--but not so with these! They've lasted for years! Excellent definition on cymbals, very fast, defined rolls and ghost notes, great little bounce as well. They're very light sticks, very quick and elegant--I wouldn't use these for heavy drumming or for novice players who lack control, but if you have good control and a quick response, these sticks will bring out your abilities.